Councilman Dennis Zine sets stage for a 2013 run at city controller's office

Ending speculation about his future plans, Councilman Dennis Zine on Wednesday formally filed papers to begin fundraising for the city controller campaign in 2013.

"I love public service," Zine said. "I spent 33 years with the Los Angeles Police Department and 10 years on the City Council and I really enjoy being out there for the public.

"I have seen what Laura Chick and Wendy Greuel have done with the job, and I want to continue in that same tradition of holding a light to problems in the city."

Zine said he had talked with Greuel and received her assurance that she is running for mayor and will not seek re-election.

"I support what she has done and I've been trying to work as a councilman to help get more attention to her audits," Zine said.

Zine became chairman of the City Council's Audits and Government Efficiency Committee three months ago and has since held five meetings and reviewed six audits.

Also, he is planning to hold community meetings on audits into the Building and Safety Department and revenue owed the city from parking lots.

"There is a lot of money out there that we are owed and we need to find a way to collect it," Zine said.

Zine, 63, who recently changed his political registration from Republican to decline to state, has been a moderate on the City Council and has been in a leadership role as assistant president pro tem.

If elected as controller, Zine said one of his goals would be to see how he can make the department more proactive in helping uncover abuse and would work to reinvigorate the city's whistle-blower hotline.

Also, he said he would try to work with the next mayor to help uncover problems in departments.

"It's one thing to go in after the fact, but I would like to see if we can make the office more proactive to head off problems," Zine said.